Popular
by aecul
Summary: Rogue gets a makeover. Something like a songfic to "Popular" from Wicked. Dedicated to Wisdombook34, because she liked it so much.


Disclaimer: I don't own _X-Men: Evolution_. I also don't own the script or soundtrack to _Wicked_.

A/N: In the X-Treme X-Men comics, I believe Jean and Rogue are friends. So pretend something happens after Apocolypse that puts them on better terms with each other in _Evo_.

I couldn't decide who should be "Galinda" so I just stuck all three options in together. Poor Rogue seems to get ganged-up on in my fics, doesn't she?

Enjoy!

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_Popular_

"Rogue, now that we're friends, I've decided to make you my- our- new project," Jean said, bouncing on the edge of Rogue's bed.

Rogue raised an eyebrow. "You _really_ don't hafta do that."

"Oh, I know. That's what makes me so nice." Jean gave the younger girl a dazzling smile.

Rogue glanced at Kitty and Amara, who were seated expectantly on Kitty's bed, diagonal from her own. "So you're in on this too?"

Kitty grinned. "Of course! I've wanted to give you a makeover since you, like, moved here!"

Amara shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"This is not really how Ah was planning to spend my Saturday afternoon, you guys." Rogue protested. "In fact, Ah think Ah need to be somewhere right now…"

Jean grabbed her arm. "No, I talked to the professor to make sure you were available today. Come _on_, you have to admit we did a great job with Laura."

"Well…"

Rogue received tolerant smiles from her three captors. Jean patted her shoulder and said, "Look, Rogue: _Whenever I see someone less fortunate than I-_ _and-_" she lowered her voice- "_Let's face it: who isn't, less fortunate than I? My tender heart tends to start to bleed."_

Amara stood up. "_And when someone needs a makeover, I simply have to take over! I know I know _exactly_ what they need_."

"_Even in your case_-" Kitty came across the room and studied Rogue, giving her friend's hair a little flip. "Hmm…_Though it's the toughest case we've yet to face…don't worry! We're determined to succeed_."

Jean hopped off the bed. "_Follow my lead_." She beckoned Rogue to stand. "_And yes, indeed. You- will- be-_"

"_Popular!_" Kitty squealed, staring off into the distance, then looking at Rogue encouragingly. "_You're gonna be popular_."

"_I'll teach you the proper ploys when you talk to boys_," Jean added, straightening up, flashing a grin, and smoothing her skirt.

"_Little ways to flirt and flounce_. Ooo!" said Kitty. "_I'll show you what shoes to wear, how to fix your hair-_" She rummaged through her closet, reemerging with a spray-bottle filled with water. She began wetting Rogue's hair down very energetically.

"Kitty!" Rogue shouted, squeezing her eyes shut to keep them from being sprayed along with the rest of her face.

"Sorry." Kitty dropped the bottle and spun Rogue down onto her bed. "_Everything that really counts to be popular_."

"_I'll help ya be popular_," said Jean, beaming. "_You'll hang with the right cohorts; you'll be good at sports-_"

"_Know the slang you've got to know_," cut in Amara.

"_So let's start_," Kitty urged, using her hands to express herself, then coughed. "'_Cause you've got an awfully long way to go_."

"Thanks," said Rogue cynically.

Kitty plugged in her blow-dryer and with it in hand she fluffed Rogue's damp hair into dry, curly tendrils.

"You straighten your hair?" Amara asked in surprise. "You should leave it wavy more often."

Kitty finished up with Rogue's hair and wrapped her arms around her friend's neck. "_Don't be offended by my frank analysis_."

"_Think of it as personality dialysis_," suggested Jean. "_Now that I've chosen to become a pal-"_

"_-a sister-_" said Kitty.

"_-an advisor-_" said Amara.

"_There's nobody wiser_," Jean continued. "_Not when it comes to popular_." She nodded sagely. "_I know about popular_." Unloading her purse, she handed Rogue a dozen varieties of lipstick, eye shadow and blush to choose from.

Amara took it upon herself to (very carefully) apply the makeup since, evidentally, the years of experience Rogue had at it were not enough. "_With an assist from me_…HOLD STILL…_to be who you'll be, instead of dreary who you were-_"

"_Well, _are," said Kitty apologetically.

"_There's nothing that can stop you from becoming popular_," said Jean.

"_-Lar_," Kitty corrected, stressing the "ä" sound.

"_La la, la la_," Amara hummed. "_We're gonna make you pop-u-lar_." She stood back to examine her work, then gave Rogue a couple more dabs of lipstick (Rogue promptly wiped it off on a Kleenex). "_When I see depressing creatures with unprepossessing features, I remind them on their own behalf to…think…of…celebrated heads-of-state or 'specially great communicators; did they have brains or knowledge? Don't make me laugh! They were popular! Pleez. It's all about popular._"

"_It's not about aptitude_," pointed out Kitty.

"_It's the way you're viewed_," said Jean, "_so it's very shrewd to be very, very popular, like me!_"

Rogue groaned. "This is never going to work!"

"Oh, Rogue," sighed Jean blissfully. "Your whole _life_ is going to change, and all because of us."

Amara gave a little skip, touching Rogue's arm. "Here, I'll show you how to toss your hair." She stretched her arms out and wiggled her fingers. Then, bending backwards a little, she flung her hair over her shoulders, one side at a time. "Toss, toss!" She giggled. "Your turn."

Rogue stared at Amara. Then, exaggeratedly, she threw her hair away from her face. "Toss, toss!"

"Erm, well, it needs a little work." Amara admitted.

Kitty closed her closet door with her foot, arms loaded with dresses and blouses and skirts. "We're going to transform your simple and depressingly dark outfit. Try these on."

The roommates were at least two sizes apart. Ten minutes and fifteen outfits later, Kitty was fiddling with the strap of a dress that Rogue could barely breathe in.

"Do you want me to try?" Rogue asked, exasperated.

Kitty gave up. "No. Whatever. Just wear your normal clothes," she said brightly. "They're pretty!"

Rogue rolled her eyes, pulled her own stuff back on, and flopped down onto Kitty's bed again.

"Now for the final touch." Kitty pinned up some of Rogue's hair with a large pink flower barrette, then leaned to the side to see her friend from the front. She let out an elated gasp, turned Rogue around and pointed to the mirror above their shared dresser, which was placed along the opposite wall. "Why, Miss Anna Marie, look at you!"

Jean smiled. "You're beautiful."

Rogue gaped at her reflection. She touched the barrette in her curly hair and one corner of her mouth lifted slightly…

"I- I have to go," she breathed, jumping up and running from her room.

"You're welcome?" Kitty said after her.

Rogue slammed right into Remy in the hallway. He stared at her for a second, then whistled softly and ran his fingers over her hair. She accidentally met his eyes and was momentarily spellbound…until they both blinked, at which point she slapped his hand away and fled. He leaned against the wall and looked after her until she turned a corner and disappeared.

Back in the bedroom, Jean packed up her makeup kits and Kitty gathered the clothes that had been discarded onto the floor.

"_And though you protest_," said Amara slowly, "_your disinterest-_"

Kitty smirked, looking up. "_I know clandestinely-_"

"_You're gonna grin and bear it, your new-found popularity_," said Jean, twirling and flipping her pocket mirror open and shut. "_La, la…_"

"_La, la…you'll be popular_," Kitty and Amara chimed in. They followed Jean out the door. "_Just not quite as popular…as…me!_"

The End

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Reviews are always wonderful! :) God bless!


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